


Salt Water

by cherryblossombomb



Category: Free!
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-18
Updated: 2013-08-18
Packaged: 2017-12-23 22:02:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/931565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryblossombomb/pseuds/cherryblossombomb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru can't seem to keep his emotions in check after he rescues Makoto.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salt Water

Water was always there for him.

Haru had never been that good with people. He hadn’t spoken to anyone when he first went to school, opting to gaze out the window or draw pictures of the sun setting on the ocean. He dreamt of the calm waves of the sea meeting the shore, the white foam horses dashing elegantly along the water, and imagined himself amidst them whenever he was alone.

He went for swimming lessons when he was old enough. Still quiet and reluctant to speak, he’d swum alone and felt it would always be that way, but he didn’t mind. Feeling the gentle waves lap at his skin and send him floating freely, wherever the water took him, made him feel more at home than he ever was at his house. But only a few lessons in did his solitude cease; a nervous, friendly brown haired boy popped right through his bubble and befriended him before he realised it. Makoto spoke to him whenever they were at the pool, and began coming along every day, just like Haru. They started getting rides home together from their parents and spent hours at each other’s houses. Haru was never sure why Makoto stuck around; Haru wasn’t much of a conversationalist, all he did was ask what movies Makoto liked or which games he’d want to play. Other than that, it was solely Makoto who filled the silence; Haru’s parents often chastised him for being so silent and reclusive. He just didn’t feel compelled to fill the comfortable silences with Makoto, and he didn’t have anything to say to his parents.

When Rin left Japan to pursue training, leaving Haru confused and guilty and unsure of himself, he’d turned to the pool for comfort. He’d spent most of his time in the water, immersing himself in it, floating beneath the water in the deepest part of the pool until his lungs burned and begged for air. Makoto found him once, curled up at the bottom of the pool, and he’d took his hand and pulled him to the surface, dried him off, took him back to his house and played games with him until they fell asleep. He had never told Makoto what happened and Makoto never asked about it. And when Haru felt weary from the silence that he found he couldn’t break, he swam and swam until salt or chlorine stung his eyes and nothing else mattered but the expansive ocean that all of Haru’s dreams drifted on.

The water had always been a comfort to Haru.

But right now…

He was frightened.

The waves drew themselves up like large, intimidating foes, and crashed down like a multitude of swords that forced Rei and Makoto down into the depths, shadows clutching at them and dragging them further like Makoto had always feared, and now Haru was scared of that too—

He was running, stray pebbles on the beach digging into his feet as he zoned in on Makoto, not letting him out of his sight. He prayed that the water wouldn’t drag him under, didn’t want the sea to try and take him away.

He dived in, kicking furiously, faster than he ever had before. He had never cared so much about his speed before in his life, but now he could only think about swimming faster before Makoto could stray too far out of his reach. Makoto had always been there to grab Haru’s hand and help him out of the water, so now he had to do the same.

He got him.

He wrapped his arm around Makoto and held him up, eyes darting over his body to ensure he was unharmed, but he couldn’t tell in this tempestuous water.

"I’ll get Rei-chan!" cried Nagisa, and Haru jerked his gaze around to ensure Rei was still above water, feeling slightly relieved when he did.

"Thank you!" he called, trusting it to Nagisa, before he began furiously peddling himself and Makoto towards the island. His legs ached with the strain and he was gasping with effort, tasting salt water. He clutched Makoto tightly, refusing to lighten his grip in case the current swept him away, but only slight relief came to him when he saw the beach was in sight; his heart still hadn’t slowed since he’d first seen Makoto drowning. He hefted him onto his shoulder when they finally reached the sand. He staggered under the weight and his tired legs, and finally collapsed into the sand. His chest hurt and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath, but that didn’t matter right now; he had to make sure Makoto was okay. "Makoto… Makoto! Wake up!" he shouted, voice nearly drowned out by the powerful gusts of wind and raging waves. He froze for a moment when he received no response, eyes widening in terror, before he glanced around frantically. "Someone…" he breathed as he looked up at the empty cliffs surrounding them. "Is anyone there?!" he cried. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t do this. "Nagisa! Rei!" he shouted, hoping desperately that they were safe and would come and help Makoto, do what Haru couldn’t—

But nobody was there. No one was coming.

He lifted a hand and cupped his chin in thought, whole body shaking as his mind reeled, stomach twisting in painful knots, and then—

CPR!

He wasted no time, leaning over Makoto and listening for a heartbeat and feeling his own slow ever so slightly when he heard it. “It’s beating…” he said, barely more than a breath. But Makoto was still unconscious, eyes shut entirely, body still. “Is he injured?” he asked no one, helpless because it was always Makoto who knew what to do and he was the one who couldn’t do anything right now. He was the one who needed help. He surveyed his body quickly, scared he was bleeding; he had nothing to help that. But… “No,” he said, frowning, because he was still not awake. He grasped Makoto’s face and tilted it up slightly as he leaned down, listening against the sounds of the tempestuous waves and furious rain.

He heard the slightest breath escape Makoto’s lips, a shudder of a sigh, and sat back up, feeling sick.

"His breathing is so weak," he thought aloud, brows drawn together in worry and anxiety and god, what could he do? He couldn’t help anyone, he—

Thunder crashed and crackled, illuminating the cloudy sky, and struck Haru from his thoughts. He swallowed thickly and tilted Makoto’s chin up; there was no time. He wouldn’t let Makoto die. Pinching his nose, Haru leaned down, inhaling deeply as his mouth hovered over Makoto’s, leaning closer, and—

And then Makoto coughed, writhed around and choked out water, and Haru felt the knots in his stomach unwind. “Makoto!” He watched as Makoto coughed and wheezed, trying to regain his breath, and said again, just to make sure, just to get him to say something, “Makoto!”

Makoto winced, still breathless and shaky, but turned to face him. “Haru…ka…” he said, and Haruka felt himself reel back slightly at the use of his name. He complained all the time, but he really didn’t mind being called Haru-chan; it was easier to respond to than Haruka now, and hearing Makoto say it so weakly didn’t appease him much at all. But at least he was breathing, he was okay, he was—

"Are you okay?" he asked, still wide-eyed and scared, as if Makoto would vanish before his eyes, like he could be just a floating shadow in the ocean.

Makoto looked at him, pausing for a moment, before glancing around. “Where are we?”

Haru wasted no time in answering, “I’m guessing this is Sukishima.” He didn’t care where they were, he just wanted Makoto to breathe normally and smile like always and call him Haru-chan. He wanted Makoto to be okay. But Makoto wanted to know, so for clarification, he added, “The island facing the tents.” Maybe it’d make him feel better to know they weren’t far.

Makoto heaved himself up, looking frailer than Haru had ever seen him. “Where’s Rei?” he asked worriedly, and part of Haru wanted to shake him, demand why he wasn’t more concerned about himself, but another part, a bigger part, was just grateful Makoto was still himself and asking about others first and breathing.

"You shouldn’t be moving around!" he said as Makoto jerked his gaze towards the ocean. He grabbed his shoulders, refusing to let him venture back out there. "You need to rest!"

He’d barely said the words before Makoto protested, “But Rei’s in trouble!”

And so were you! thought Haru, but didn’t say it. “Nagisa’s taking care of it,” he assured him instead, hoping to ease his fears. “You don’t need to worry,” he said, but Makoto’s expression still belied the terror churning in his heart.

"N-Nagisa…?" he said softly, shoulders losing the slightest bit of tension, and he sighed tiredly, rubbing his face.

Haru dropped his gaze to the sand, still holding onto Makoto’s shoulders. He felt his heart pumping wildly, his legs hurt and so did his throat, like something was stuck there, and even though Makoto was okay right now, he still couldn’t manage to make himself breathe properly.

"Haru…?" Makoto mumbled, shifting his concerned eyes from the raging sea towards Haru, whose head was bowed, fingers digging into Makoto’s shoulders, and— "You’re shaking all over…"

Haru couldn’t bring himself to look up, feeling his eyes sting and burn far more than chemicals or salt ever had done. His face felt hot as he tried to rein in the sudden tidal wave of relief and terror and everything at once that he never let himself feel. He tried to swallow it back, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t allow it, and he couldn’t choke back the small sob that somehow broke through his lips.

"H-Haru, what…?"

"Y-you… You weren’t breath… breathing," Haru forced out, chest constricting and throat aching with the effort not to cry. But he felt burning hot tears escape their confines and fall down his cheeks. His body was trembling, and he knew it wasn’t because of the cold, and while he wanted to wipe his eyes and hide his embarrassment, he couldn’t bring himself to let go of Makoto. "You weren’t breathing," he said again, unable to say any more, and Makoto just stared at him in shock before he wrapped his arms around him and pulled him in close. Haru froze for a second, wanting to protest but not wanting to let Makoto go, so he buried his face in Makoto’s neck and sniffed to hold back his tears, but all it did was let another pathetic sob out and tears stained Makoto’s neck alongside the raindrops.

"I’m okay, Haru-chan," Makoto said, and Haru felt his entire body slump ever so slightly in relief to hear him say his name. "Sorry for making you worry."

"Don’t be stupid," Haru muttered against his neck, finally letting go of one of Makoto’s shoulders to rub furiously at his eyes.

Makoto glanced down at him, then up at the rain, reluctant to let his sights drop to the sea again. “I… didn’t realise you cared so much,” he said with a weak chuckle.

Haru shut his eyes again, wrapping his arms around Makoto’s neck and hugging him. He never embraced people, never even hugged his mother since he was five, and yet here he was, clinging to Makoto like a child.

Makoto had stuck with him when his parents weren’t there, and he’d been his friend when nobody else had bothered with him. Haru knew he could be difficult. He wouldn’t get out of the bath in time for school without Makoto coming around to pick him up, would probably forget to eat if Makoto weren’t his only guest and didn’t make bento for them both. When Makoto was sick once, he’d gone the whole day without eating, and then bought popsicles to take to his house to make him feel better. Makoto was always taking care of him, but he…

He couldn’t say it, so he just tightened his grasp on Makoto, in his lap now with his arms around him both protectively and with neediness that he never realised he’d possessed before.

"Don’t do that again, don’t," he gasped against Makoto’s shoulder. There was a moment of astonished silence before Makoto wound his arms around Haru, rubbing his back and drawing him closer. He felt him smile softly against his neck.

"Sorry, Haru," he said softly. "I won’t make you worry again."


End file.
